Blind Devotion
by Fenik
Summary: Your entire life you have worshipped the self-proclaimed deity of the Rain village, nothing could make you question his absolute power...that is, until the man with the red eyes begins to open yours.
1. Chapter 1

"Tsuki

"Tsuki!"

"What is it?" you called over your shoulder, putting the last stroke on your calligraphy scroll.

"You've been commissioned by Pein-sama…" she said, sounding slightly anxious.

"Really?" you asked, disbelievingly, your eyes widening at the news.

"It seems he requires your skills," your mother said, her voice growing softer.

You frowned, your mother wasn't supposed to seem sad at your summoning by Pein-sama, it was an honour to be of use to the God of the Rain Village. "When do I leave?" you queried, trying to think of all the things you'd need to bring with you.

"As soon as you can, you wouldn't want to keep him waiting, Tsuki…" she replied, the pain in her voice surprising you.

"Mother, when will you ever tell me why you fear Pein-sama?" you sighed, washing the smooth-handled brush and placing it back in its rough wooden box.

Taking the paper in your hands, you reached to your side, searching for the tube to house the newly finished scroll. Your mother moved to your side and placed the tube in your hand; you thanked her with a nod before rolling up the scroll. "This one is finished," you informed her, raising it as a sign for her to take it from you.

The weight lifted from your hand, and you gathered your things before standing up and moving towards the door. "I will tell you one day, when you are ready to hear it, Tsuki," your mother murmured from the door.

Her footsteps faded down the hallway and you wondered what she had meant. _'I'm not ready to hear it now?' _

Making your way to your room, you felt around for your most important items before seeking out your mother. Deep breathing alerted you to her presence in her bedroom and you quickly went to sit next to her on the bed. _'It…sounds like she's crying…'_ you thought to yourself, cursing the fact that you couldn't see her face.

"I'm ready to leave, mother," you whispered, unsure if she was aware of you.

"I know…just give me a moment and I'll take you there…" she whispered back, her voice sounding strained.

"Is there something you're not mentioning?" you asked, suspiciously.

'She didn't say that it would be dangerous…'

"No, no. Have you brought your lute?"

The bed lifted as she pulled herself to her feet, and you turned your face to where she stood. You nodded in reply and stood up with her. "Okay, let's go," your mother said, "He said there'd be a man waiting for you at the front gates…"

You frowned at this information. Any summons from your God in the past had not required you to leave the village. You wondered if your mother had been crying because she knew you might die on this mission. Your mother gently took your arm in hers and you followed her across the village to the front entrance. "There he is, he told me to expect a man with a strong chakra with a constant flow of chakra around his eyes," your mother said, leading you over to the waiting man.

"Sato Mei and Sato Tsukiko," the man stated as you approached, his deep voice detached and unwelcoming.

Your eyebrows raised in surprise at how young his voice sounded.

"Yes, sir," your mother replied, the title sounding strange on her voice.

"Sato Tsukiko, you are to take this scroll and quickly educate yourself on the contents," the man informed.

His clothes rustled as he outstretched an arm, but you felt unsure about his directions. "Take it," he ordered, sounding impatient.

Obviously, he was aggravated about having to be the one to talk to you and even more now that he thought you were incompetent and unable to follow the simplest instructions. "Did no one tell you, sir?" your mother ventured, surprise entering her voice.

"Tell me what?"

"My daughter is blind."

There was a tense pause and you turned your face downwards, almost in shame. The man spoke again, and you swore you heard a smirk in his voice, "I see."

Already thinking that this man was unbelievably rude and conceited, your opinion of him dropped even lower. "Mother, just read me the scroll."

"Okay," she agreed, before unrolling the scroll and speaking quietly, "Sato Tsukiko, you have been commissioned to play a private concert for the Lord of Nagawa in the Country of Earth. A trusted associate will accompany you there for your protection."

You registered the information, feeling honoured that you were to be the one to represent Rain village and your God. "We should leave now," the man said shortly, his voice moving away towards the gate.

"I'll be back in a few days, mother, please don't worry too much about me…I'm 15 years old, after all…" you murmured, finding it hard to breathe as your emotional mother enveloped you in a massive hug.

"Be safe, Tsukiko…trust this man, he will protect you," your mother advised, squeezing you one last time before releasing you.

"I will, mother. I'll come back soon," you farewelled, patting your mother's arm, comfortingly.

You turned away and moved over to stand by the man at the gate. "Do you require…assistance?" he asked, seemingly concerned.

'But then again…the slower I am, the longer it takes for this to be finished for him…'

"I can keep up just as well as anyone without my…disability, if that is what you're asking," you said, finding pride in the fact that you had developed ways to overcome your impairment.

"Good, maybe this won't be as bad as I first thought," the man remarked, causing you to scowl in his direction.

You heard his cloak rustle and quickly followed after the sound, knowing that if you didn't react with speed; you would irritate your companion. Walking in his footsteps, you wondered about who he was, and why he was the one going on this journey with you. "What's your name?" you asked, thinking that even just by knowing his name, you might find his silent demeanour more bearable.

"Why do you need to know?" he replied, sounding genuinely surprised that you had decided to talk to him.

"Well, what do I call you then?" you questioned, realising that maybe this man wasn't used to social conversations on a regular basis.

"Sir, will suffice," he informed you, his tone telling you that he believed that he had earned the title in every respect.

"Why should I call you sir?" you asked, irritated by his arrogance.

"It is safer than you knowing my real name."

'Why…what has the person with his name done to make it so unsafe?'

You suddenly felt very afraid for your life, maybe you had been too presumptuous in trusting a stranger. "Frightened of me now?" the man asked, his voice betraying a hint of amusement.

You decided not to answer him – to answer yes would wound your pride, and answering no would be a blatant lie. You followed him once again in silence, feeling slightly out of control of the situation. _'What happens if he's taking me to be sold as a slave? Or what if he's a murderer, and he's just waiting for the perfect moment to strike and take my life?!' _you thought, mildly panicking.

The man must have sensed your sudden fear, and he sighed before speaking. "I was informed to protect you, nothing will happen to you whilst you are under my care, I promise you."

You nodded, inwardly feeling much relief from his promise to you. "Will you ever tell me your name?" you ventured, "You already know mine…"

"Feiku."

You felt like punching the man for giving you such a fake name, but decided that it was infinitely better than the 'Sir' he had suggested. "So…Feiku-san, how old are you?"

"51."

Your eye twitched as he once again made his lies completely obvious. "And where do you live? Let me guess – the moon?"

"Funny you should say that…"

"You come from the Land of Void?" you asked, curious as you had never visited the lands over the sea to the East.

"You ask too many questions, your mouth will put you in danger if you are not careful," Feiku, as he had named himself, reprimanded.

You pursued your lips, feeling as though you were being treated like a child. "I'm 15 you know," you mentioned, "So it would be nice if you would stop treating me like I'm an immature brat."

"Convince me otherwise and I will consider it."

The superiority in his voice made you grind your teeth together, but you knew that letting him make you angry would only result in more anger. "As you wish, Feiku-san," you replied, feeling defeated by his cutting remark.

"Hn," was his response, and you fell back into silence.

'The sooner this is over the better!' you thought to yourself, thinking of your mother and how she must already be fretting over your safety.

"Rock," came the soft, male voice.

"Sorry?" you queried.

Suddenly a stone tripped you up and you plummeted towards the ground. You opened your mouth to scream but shut it abruptly when you remembered that you were trying to prove your maturity to your forced companion. Your hands were smoothly grabbed and the momentum twisted your body, causing your back to scrape painfully across the ground. Your wrists were released and you laid there in shock, trying not to focus on the sharp pain dotted around your back. You heard the rustle of clothes as your protector continued on his former path, and you quickly got to your feet, silently fuming. If you could have, you would have glared daggers at his back. "Why did you let me fall?"

"I warned you about the rock, didn't I?" he countered, quickening his step.

"Well then why did you grab my wrists?"

"You require your hands to play your biwa, do you not?" (NB: A biwa is a Japanese style lute).

Realising what he was implying, you tightly closed your mouth and refused to talk again until you had reached your camp for the night. "We shall stop here," Feiku decided, his abrupt stop almost making you walk into him.

You nodded in agreement and set down your pack, happy to finally be off your feet. Rolling out a sleeping bag, you wondered what had happened to your protector. You could no longer hear the movements of his clothes or his level, rhythmic breathing. Deciding that he had settled down to rest, you followed suit and sleep quickly claimed you. If you had vision, you would have seen that Feiku had settled himself in a tree high above you, his dark red eyes open and unblinking as he readied himself for the long night of keeping guard.


	2. Chapter 2

Consciousness swiftly returned to you as soon as the light hit your eyes, just because they couldn't see didn't mean they coul

Consciousness swiftly returned to you as soon as the light hit your eyes, just because they couldn't see didn't mean they couldn't sense the presence of warmth. You sat up, drawing your hands through your short white-blonde hair. "You're finally awake," a familiar voice stated, "Here. Take this."

You felt something pressed against your hand and you grasped it, recognising the crusty surface. Chewing on the dry bread, you thanked him with a nod. His footsteps retreated away and you wondered how long he had been waiting you to rise. Afraid of angering your companion, you hastily finished your breakfast and packed your things into your bag. Setting off again, your thoughts drifted as you followed the footfalls just in front of you. Smelling something strange in the air, you called out to Feiku, "I think it's going to rain this afternoon."

The footsteps stopped and you imagined him glanced up at the sky. "The clouds look dark, we should hurry," were the short words from his mouth, and he was off again, walking at a taxing pace.

Exhausted, you propped yourself up with your hands on your knees and breathed deeply. The sound of movement continued on for a few meters ahead of you before pausing. You hoped that he was waiting patiently, and not getting ready to shout obscenities at you about your lack of stamina. "I'm sorry…I'm not used to this much activity," you admitted, thinking about the days you spent painting on the floor of your mother's shop.

The footsteps came closer and you raised your head in anticipation of harsh words. "I was not aware," Feiku murmured, softly.

Realising that this was probably the best apology you would ever receive from him, you smiled in gratitude. A rumble of thunder interrupted you from further voicing your appreciation, and before you could register, Feiku had turned and continued on the path. "We must go…this storm does not bode well for traveling."

Straightening, you drew in a deep breath and followed after him again, the need for swiftness replacing any conversation you may have held. You had covered another kilometer before the clouds shirked their burden and poured it onto your shoulders. The rain was not cold, but the biting wind made it intolerable. You felt grateful that your pack was lined with waterproof material; however, you felt dismay that your clothes did not follow the same pattern. The footfalls before you did not falter, and so you blindly continued in his steps, praying to your God that he would soon cease the rain. The density of the rain increased and you were hard pressed to hear Feiku's movements at all. Suddenly, they stopped altogether and you felt relief that he had decided to take shelter. Walking over to where you deemed him to be, you asked, "Feiku-san, are we stopping here for a while?"

Nothing but the pounding of the rain answered you, and you felt fear creep its way into your bones. "F-Feiku-san?"

'Has he left me? Have I wandered off from him? Where is he?!'

You reached down and located a few sticks around your feet, before placing them in the shape of an arrow to inform you which way you were facing prior to losing your guide. Shuffling blindly, you raised your arms to find a nearby tree to shelter under until the storm broke. Finding a thick trunk, you crouched down and tried to warm yourself, pulling your sleeping blanket out of your bag to try and pry the water from your clothes. _'Oh well…once he's realised that he's left me, he'll come back…right? I mean…he's not going to leave me in a forest by myself…that'd be criminal.'_

A stray drop of water dripped down your neck as you had the sinister thought. _'What happens if he is criminal? What if he doesn't care if I survive or not? I mean…he said it himself that it's better not to know his identity…maybe leaving me here is exactly the type of thing he'd do?'_

Those thoughts swirled around your mind and you wrapped the blanket around you tighter before resigning yourself to your fate.

It took another half an hour before the clouds had fully dispersed their load, and the sun dared to peek out to brighten the rain-drenched lands. Deciding that you weren't going to sit there sobbing until you were an emotional wreck, you fumbled your way over to the directional arrow you had rapidly assembled earlier. Getting the direction, you pulled a special compass from your pack. There was no glass between you and the pointer, and the letters signifying the compass points were embossed, making it easy for you to recognise them. Noting the direction, you replaced the compass and started off, hoping desperately that you were going in the right direction. _'It was only just after I stopped hearing his footsteps that I got here…so reason serves that I'm still going in the right direction, I just went slower than him…'_

Daring to believe your logic, you continued walking, using a stick to notify you of any obstacles attempting to trip you up. Thinking that even though Feiku had left you alone to weather the storm, you were still technically under his protection, you decided to call his name. After a few more hours of walking, you could walk no longer. Taking out your damp sleeping blanket, you pulled it around you before easily slipping into the land of dreams.

Soon after dozing off, a hand on your shoulder ripped you from your dreams. Tearing a knife from its home in your pack, you drew it towards the presence hovering above you. Your wrist was quickly grasped and the knife dropped uselessly to the ground. However, you were far from beaten by this unexpected attacker. Bringing your other arm up, the dagger in your hand met nothing but air. Alert, you listened for the movements of cloth. "Trying to attack me so soon? Well, I guess that's the average length of time before someone raises a knife against me," the cold voice called, making you turn your head to face that direction.

"Feiku-san?"

"I didn't notice that you weren't following me any longer until just after the rain ended. I feel ashamed that my observation skills have decreased to such a level," the man told you, relieving you with the information that he had not intentionally left you in the storm.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you that I can only follow you by the sound of your footsteps…I'm not very good at sensing chakra from a distance…" you murmured, knowing that it was as much your fault as his that you had ended up lost.

"The rain was too heavy?"

You nodded, feeling as though you had worried over nothing. "I see, let's go…there is a spring close by where you can wash. We are close to the manor and you must look presentable as a representative of the Rain Village," Feiku mentioned, the rustle of his cloak alerting you to the fact that he was leaving.

Swiftly packing, you listened for his footsteps and walked off after him. _'Even though he may be a murderer and a criminal…I can't help but think that maybe this 'Feiku' isn't such a bad person…'_

Feeling refreshed after washing in the spring, you dressed and navigated your way back to where your guide was waiting. "Do I look alright?" you asked, feeling a little shy at receiving the opinion of your companion.

"Hn. Acceptable," he said, turning and striding away from you towards the manor.

Slightly disappointed by his response, you mentally shrugged and followed after him, pack lifted high onto your shoulder. "We're close, are you adequately prepared?" his voice surprised you, dragging you from your thoughts.

Reaching back, your fingertips brushed against the tough wood of your lute and you nodded. "Good, I trust you will act in a reasonable manner inside the manor…do not get too comfortable, we may need to leave suddenly."

Intrigued by his words, you opened your mouth to question him further but he cut you off by announcing, "We're here."

Your eyebrows raised and you wondered what the manor looked like. "It is a massive 3 floored structure made mostly from a particular type of native wood…if that is what you wanted to ask," your protector's voice informed you.

Turning to face him, you felt worried that your facial expressions were so obvious even to someone who didn't know you well. "I'm just more observant than regular humans," he murmured, once again catching you off-guard.

"Let's go inside," you insisted, wanting to speak with someone other than the self-obsessed guide of yours.

"Wait…take my arm," Feiku said, his deep tone betraying no signs of embarrassment or self-consciousness.

"What for?" you asked, suspicious of his request.

"I was informed that the Lord of this manor is under the impression that you are a weak, sickly girl – this was to…assure the success of the mission," Feiku admitted, sounding reluctant in releasing details.

Confused, you reasoned out that if your God had decreed it so, then you would follow him no matter what. You reached out, unsure of where your companion's arm rested. Feeling coarse material, your fingers lightly fumbled around the garment, searching for his sleeve. Your cheeks were flushed red as you eventually located his slim forearm, and moved your arm to sit comfortably inside his, creating the illusion that you required his assistance to walk. You took a step forwards and Feiku murmured, "Lean on me."

Complying, hesitantly, you were startled to find that his form was slight, yet strong. Deciding that if you had to act the part of a weakly, sickly lute player, you might as well be convincing, you pretended as though you were heavily fatigued and began breathing quickly and shallowly. "Good evening!" Feiku called out, in a warm, conversational tone.

Disturbed by the sudden change in his personality, you twitched slightly. Your companion noted the movement and made a low warning noise. "Greetings, travelers. What business do you have with Lord Nagawa?" a man asked, you assumed that he was a guard of the manor.

"Lord Nagawa must be expecting us, my companion is a lute player, Tsukiko of Rain Village. Surely, you must have known we'd be arriving today?" Feiku inquired, carefully keeping his voice level.

"Ah…the lute player from Rain Village? Yes, we have been expecting her…however, we were not told that she would be accompanied," the guard replied, his words betraying his suspicion.

Feiku laughed lightly, before reassuring the man, "If you had not noticed, this young lady has a certain…problem with walking around unescorted."

His cloak moved slightly, pulling the fabric upwards, and you realised he must have been motioning towards your eyes. Trying to assist your protector, you raised your head, giving the guard the odd impression that you were staring straight through him. "Uh…I'm sorry, Miss…I was not told of your special…condition," the guard choked out, perturbed by your eyes, "Please go right inside."

"Thank you," Feiku said, tugging lightly on your arm to signify that you were moving.

You nodded in the guard's direction, silently thanking him. Unbeknownst to you, that small gesture disturbed the guard and he quickly made a sign to ward off evil as you passed.

"Welcome to the Nagawa Manor, Sir and Madam…may I ask your purpose here?" another man greeted at the door to the building, the sudden voice catching you by surprise.

"Thank you, I believe we have a meeting with Lord Nagawa," Feiku smoothly responded, making you wonder how you'd have ever completed this task without his constant direction.

"Oh, of course. May I ask your names?" the man asked, sounding as though he was writing on parchment.

"Sato Tsukiko and Takashi Yuuki," your protector supplemented, causing you to question if he was revealing his true name to the man.

The man made no sudden exclamations of horror or attempts to kill your companion, so you assumed that it was another false name. "The Rain Village musician? Oh, yes, Lord Nagawa has been most looking forward to your playing."

"He has?" you asked, momentarily letting your curiousity get the better of you.

"Lord Nagawa is an admirer of the biwa, your presence is much appreciated, Lady Tsukiko," the man murmured.

You could still hear the sound of scratching on parchment and so you waited patiently for the man to speak again. "I'm afraid Lord Nagawa has retired for today, but please allow us to provide you with rooms until the morning when Lord Nagawa will be able to see you."

"That is most gracious of you," Feiku agreed.

Thankful of the offer, you didn't protest when you were lead to a guest room and told that you were to remain here for the night. Feiku was presumably lead off by the doorman and you collapsed on the bed, feeling worn out and sleepy. No longer possessing the will to forcibly move your limbs, you curled up on the bed and let sleep take you.


	3. Chapter 3

"Lady Tsukiko?" a voice interrupted your dreams.

You moaned slightly, not wanting to wake so soon. The voice tried again, more urgently this time, "I'm sorry to wake you, but Lord Nagawa is ready to see you now."

Recognising the intruder as the doorman you had conversed with last night, you struggled up and reached out for your lute you had left at your side. Your fingers found the polished wood and you pulled it into your grasp, resting your arm on top of its smooth surface. You loosely strummed the strings and winced as the tones clashed. Adjusting the tuning pegs, you nearly forgot that you were not alone in the room. "I will be there shortly, has uhh…Yuuki risen?" you queried, forgetting Feiku's adopted persona.

"Yes, he is waiting for you outside the chamber," the man answered, his footsteps informing you that he had moved to stand by the door.

You nodded in acknowledgement and the footsteps receded down the hallway. Retrieving your brush, you loosely pulled it through your short, blonde locks. You hesitated, unsure of whether your appearance was satisfactory enough for the company of a Lord. "How long do you intend to make me wait?" a smooth voice asked from the doorway.

The tones of the voice were familiar and you turned to face your companion, unsure whether you had angered him. "Have you been waiting long?"

"Not long. Why aren't you ready?" he inquired, trying to keep his voice merely quizzical.

"I-I'm sorry, it's just…I've been blind ever since I can remember…my mother said that it wasn't always so, that I had my eyesight until I was young and then…something…I can't quite remember…" you started rambling, trailing off as you tried to find the memory.

However, everything you tried drew a blank, as if an entire year of your life had been delicately removed by an expertly wielded scalpel. The nearest memory conjured in your mind was an image of a man in a dark cloak, who possessed eyes with ringed pupils. "Ringed pupils?" Feiku interrupted, his curiousity piqued.

'I spoke aloud?'

"Tell me about this man from your memories," your companion asked again, his tone becoming more pressing.

You suddenly felt under interrogation, the feeling making you shift uncomfortably. "I don't remember much…just a black silhouette and those eyes," you admitted, twisting your hands.

"Hn," Feiku said, sounding disappointed, although it was quickly concealed behind his normal detachment.

Silence fell between you and you wondered what your companion was pondering. Deciding that he wasn't going to tell you the truth even if you asked him, you stood up and made your way to the door. Your hands reached out for where you had left your lute and you were surprised when it was pressed against your searching hands. "Thank you," you murmured, caught off guard by his sudden helpfulness.

"If anything…unfortunate were to happen, you will be prepared to leave in haste?" Feiku inquired, ending with an inflection to turn the statement into a question.

You nodded, hesitantly, your mind rushing over the things you had taken out of your pack. "We shall go then," your guide announced.

Jumping slightly as something was pressed against your side, you realised with relief that Feiku was offering you his arm to continue the pretense of your illness. Moving your arm to lean heavily on his, you let yourself be lead through the door and down the hallway. _'Why does he keep warning me to be ready to leave? I mean…I'm just here to play for the Lord and then we're leaving…aren't we? Why does it sound as though we're going to have to rush to…escape or something? Is there something I don't know about? Maybe…Feiku isn't telling me everything-'_

"Is there something troubling you, Tsukiko-san?" Feiku inquired, his voice betraying more suspicion than concern.

"Not at all…I'm just worried I'll make a mistake and the Lord will not like my playing," you quickly lied, not wanting him to know of your doubts.

"I'm sure your playing will be most to his liking," your companion said, the words sounding almost threatening.

You swallowed nervously and stayed silent. Feiku guided you efficiently down the stairs, and you followed him until he stopped. "Lady Tsukiko is prepared, please take us to Lord Nagawa."

You heard no reply, and were startled when Feiku began to move again. "A servant is directing us to his inner chambers," Feiku muttered next to your ear, realising that you had no idea what was happening.

Nodding, you concentrated on keeping up with his long paces. The last thing you wanted was for your guide to be irritated, especially when it was he who was going to lead you home. "We are outside Lord Nagawa's personal viewing room, I will announce your arrival. Wait here until I return," instructed a male voice and you realised that this must have been the person directing you.

"Lord Nagawa, Lady Tsukiko, the lute player, from the Village hidden in the Rain, as well as her companion, has arrived."

A baritone voice replied, "See them in."

The thin door slid open, and Feiku stepped forward, walking through the entrance. Remembering your role, you leaned heavily on his arm and bowed your head. As you entered, the door snapped shut behind you, the receding footsteps telling you that the servant had excused himself from the room. "Please, be seated," requested that baritone voice which you assumed to be the Lord, "How would it look to force a woman such as yourself to remain standing?"

Nodding, you let Feiku guide you to a futon, where you carefully lowered yourself onto your knees, the lute loosely draped across your lap. Feiku removed himself from your arm, and you suddenly felt quite alone in this stranger's room. The warmth moved from your side and footfalls alerted you to the fact that he had walked over to the corner of the room. "So, lutist, will you play or will we continue to sit here in silence?" the Lord asked, laughing good-naturedly.

Blushing slightly, you drew the lute up until your fingers were lightly placed on the fretboard. You strummed a chord to assure that your lute was still in key, before fully launching yourself into the music. People who had seen you play knew that when you began your music, nothing but the existence of you and your lute remained. Everything else was covered by the music and washed away until you had played your piece. This time was no exception and as you strummed, everything began to disappear around you until only the music remained. Deciding that you didn't want to give the lord time to speak, you began another song as soon as the previous ended. This continued for nearly an hour before you began to grow tired and your fingers ached from the taut strings. You played the last chord before the room fell into an expectant silence. Clapping began and you could practically feel the beam radiating off the lord's smiling face. Applause sounded further behind him and you noticed that there were guards in the room, however, no clapping came from behind you and you felt like frowning at Feiku's apparent indifference. "Thank you for playing, lutist. Come again tomorrow," the lord boomed, obviously still overjoyed by your music.

You nodded in acceptance, hoping that delaying your departure would be fine with Feiku. "As you wish, we will take our leave for now, Lord Nagawa," your companion's voice spoke up, summoning you to stand.

You obeyed and the warmth at your side alerted you to his offered arm. Placing your arm on his, you followed him out of the open door, thankful that you had been given time to recover. Just as the door behind you was snapped shut by the servant, a horrid scream rent the air. You spun around, certain that it was the lord who had shrieked in intense pain. "Keep walking," Feiku ordered, pulling you forward.

"But…Lord Nagawa! I'm sure it was him!" you panicked, "What if something has happened to him!"

"It is no concern of yours, Tsukiko. We must depart," your guide said, practically dragging you down the hall.

"He wants me to play again tomorrow…" you protested, trying to grasp the situation.

"He is no longer in any condition to listen to you play," Feiku muttered softly, however you caught the words.

Shock ran through you at his confession. _'He __**is**__ involved! What did he do to Lord Nagawa?! And how could he have? He was with me the entire time we were leaving…'_

This strange revelation disoriented you and Feiku took advantage of your confusion by leading you to the outside hall and down the stairs. Vaguely, you wondered why no one was preventing you from leaving. It wasn't until you heard the sound of wind blowing through the treetops that you registered that you really had left the manor. Deciding that it was probably best to find out if your companion was the murderer before you went too far from safety, you quietly asked, "What did you do to him?"

"What do you mean?" he countered, the lightness in his voice unable to fully hide the hidden menace.

You spluttered, suddenly uncertain of whether it was a good idea to press for information. "I…felt the chakra around your eyes flare when the door closed…" you struggled out, hoping that those weren't going to be the last words from your mouth.

"Did you now…" he trailed off.

Your entire body tensed, ready to run at the slightest sound of metal. However, you were caught by surprise when you heard mirthless laughter coming from your guide. "Feiku-san?" you ventured, flinching slightly at the sound of the almost pained laughter.

"Do you trust your god?"

Frowning, you quickly answered, "Of course I do. I would trust him with my life."

Another humourless laugh escaped Feiku's lips at your response. "Do you know about the politics between the lands? No…you wouldn't. Lord Nagawa was growing swiftly in power and would soon pose a threat. You wanted to know what I did to him? I didn't do a thing, the one who killed that lord was your god."

Confusion swept you away, and so you did the only thing you could and lunged at the last stable thing within your grasp. "If Pein-sama decreed that man a threat…then it must be true. Pein-sama would never kill a man with no reason."

Feeling your cheek burning slightly, you brushed your hand there before realising that the burning seemed to be coming from Feiku's direction. "What are you doing?" you asked, genuinely intrigued by the experience.

"I am merely looking at you. Why do you ask?"

"Your eyes burn…why do you always have chakra flowing around them?"

The burning sensation quickly disappeared, yet Feiku did not speak. "I told you about my eyes, now tell me about yours," you prodded, trying to bargain with him for the answer.

"I am…losing my eyesight. The chakra assists me to see," Feiku said, his voice so quiet you had to lean over to hear him.

You almost gasped at the news. "How?"

"How what?" he asked, irritably entering into his voice.

"How are you losing your eyesight?" you clarified.

"I…gave it up to achieve my potential…" he muttered, clearly unsure of how to word his answers.

"You're giving up your eyesight for power?" you whispered, speaking quietly to mask the anger in your voice.

"Yes."

Your mouth opened slightly, as though you were about to ask another question, before you closed it again and turned to face the ground. _'How could anyone be willing to give up their sight just for power? I mean…what's the good of having power if you can't see what you've achieved with it?'_


	4. Chapter 4

"We should return to the village within the hour," Feiku's voice brought you from your daze.

'That soon? My journey out of the village didn't last long...though it will be good to sleep in my own bed tonight…'

"Are you that excited to return?" your companion queried, catching the change in your expression.

You smiled in response and replied, "If you'd tasted my mother's cooking, you'd know why I'm eager."

"Hn."

The silence no longer bothered you, it had become comfortable and you didn't feel pressured to maintain a forced conversation. "Would you like to join us for dinner?" you asked tentatively.

"I have other matters to attend to tonight…"

"So soon after returning? Wouldn't you like to celebrate the successful mission with your family?"

The atmosphere became tense and you realised that your words may have insulted your companion. _'Why does he not like talking about his family? Unless…maybe he's an orphan…' _

"I mean…well…don't people celebrate good things?" you stammered, trying to rectify your mistake.

"Yes…people do. I, however, am different," Feiku stated simply.

You gave a wry smile at his comment; the label of 'different' seemed to perfectly describe your companion. "You're going to run off straight to your next mission?" you inquired.

"My services are much in need," your guide said smoothly, moving back into his comfort zone.

Those words disturbed your inner calm. What services exactly was he talking about? Deciding that you'd rather not know unless it was absolutely necessary, you dropped the topic. The rest of the way was spent in silence and you were taken by surprise when you began to hear signs of life up ahead. "We are close to the gates, I trust you can find your way from there?" Feiku said, his tone dismissing.

Your steps momentarily paused before you continued on after him. You were hastily trying to recall the way back to your house from when your mother had guided you. There had been a right turn and then a left and another left but from there it grew hazy. "Feiku-san…umm…actually I might need your direction," you admitted, feeling incompetent.

"Hn. I expected as much, this was your first trip out of the village, after all," your companion muttered, his voice neutral.

You nodded, glad that you hadn't angered him. The sound greatly amplified as you stepped back into the village. It startled you, as you didn't have much experience in loud, open areas. The footsteps of your companion quickly disappeared in the hustle and bustle of the village. An arm brushed against yours and suddenly someone buffeted straight into you. You were spun around from the momentum and you completely lost your bearings. "Sorry," a gruff voice said before continuing on their journey.

You stood stock-still, afraid of moving in the wrong direction. Realising that it probably wasn't the best move to wait in the center of the street for your companion to find you, you raised your hands slightly and stumbled over in the direction you thought would lead you to a wall. "You need a new carpet, miss?" came a voice from just in front of you.

"Uh…no, sorry," you murmured, shuffling further to your left.

"Would you like to try some sashimi, dear?" spoke a kind, female voice from another stall.

"No…thanks," you muttered quietly, starting to feel quite alone in this crowd of busy people.

"You looking to buy?"

"No…just leave me alone, please…"

Moving along, you exhaled loudly when you found some unoccupied wall. You leaned against the rough surface and focused on lowering your heart rate. Never before had you felt like such a stranger in your own village. Never before had you felt your disability so clearly. Certainly, you had lost your sight years ago but you had learned to overcome it by careful listening and touch navigating. Now those measures had failed you, you realised that nothing would ever truly substitute your loss of sight. In your moment of weakness you were overwhelmed, and you felt tears sting at the corners of your eyes. Taking a few deep breaths to think over the situation, you noticed that thin wisps of blue light were drifting across your vision. _'Wait…I've never seen this before…is that…chakra?'_

Turning your head around to take in the strange sensation, you realised that one blue strand had glided to a stop in front of you. _'Is someone standing there?' _you wondered, afraid of speaking aloud.

"Sato Tsukiko, come."

"What? Who are you?" you asked, involuntarily tensing your muscles to sprint.

"It does not matter. I have been sent by our god to retrieve you," informed the man, his voice full of pride, "He wishes to thank you personally."

"Pein-sama wishes to thank me?" you murmured, more to yourself than the male standing in front of you.

"Pain? Are you injured?" the man inquired, more curious than worried.

You nearly gasped as you realised you had let your most precious secret slip. "Uh…I'm sorry, I've hurt my wrist…it's quite painful…" you stammered, trying to sound convincing.

"I see…do you require first aid?" the man asked, his voice betraying no concern.

"No, I'll see to it after I return home…will we be going now?"

"Yes, time is of the essence."

The trail, which you assumed belonged to the man, floated away from you and you quickly moved to keep up. _'Okay, either he hasn't been informed of my blindness or he's a complete bastard_…'

The man was walking at a taxing pace and as you began to fall behind, you decided that it was definitely a combination of both. Feeling confused as you saw the trail of the man begin to zig-zag upwards, it didn't register that there must be stairs for you to walk up. Stumbling on the first raised step, you threw your arms out and stopped yourself from hitting the hard stone. Carefully picking yourself up, you sighed in relief when your hands grasped the cool wood of a handrail. You pulled yourself quickly up the steps, not wanting to be left behind by your impatient guide. As you reached the top you tried to search for his trail only to find that it had disappeared along with any traces of the direction he had taken. "I see it is not only me you cannot seem to follow," drawled a deep voice to your right.

"Feiku?" you asked, hopefully.

"You rush at the beckoning of your god?" Feiku said, the words making you bristle.

"God wishes to thank me," you muttered, feeling strangely ashamed that you were so desperate to hear words of approval from your leader.

"I'm sure he does, but do you know how to reach him?"

Although you didn't want to admit it, his question stumped you. You had absolutely no idea where in the village you were and you didn't even know where you were being guided to in the first place. "Girl! How dare you run off! Don't you understand that we're on a very tight schedule!" growled an angry voice.

You froze, you had completely forgotten about your temporary leader. A hand roughly grasped your arm and you were pulled forward. "Sorry, the stairs they…I had trouble…" you breathed out, focusing on keeping pace.

"You unfit or something?" the man asked, misunderstanding you.

Interpreting your silence as confirmation, he tried to placate you by telling you that you had nearly arrived. You swallowed anxiously; now the time had come, you were unsure of whether you really wanted to meet your god. _'Of course I do, I'm just a little nervous is all,' _you reprimanded yourself, shocked about what you had just thought.

"We're here. This is as far as I can go. I was told that there was going to be someone to meet you here but I guess you're on your own from here out. Good luck an' all," the man said, quickly using a jutsu to disappear.

"Wait! How am I-"

All alone, you wondered if you had been the victim of a cruel practical joke. You raised your arms, trying to feel something familiar. Stepping forward, the ground fell from beneath you and you pitched forward, surprise written across your face. You hit the loose soil with a dull thud and laid there a minute to recover your breath. "A fitting way to greet your idol," a voice smirked from your side.

You nearly groaned in irritation, of course he had to be there to see your ungraceful reunion with the ground. "Thank you, once again, for helping me, Feiku-san," you ground out, gritting your teeth as you pulled yourself to your feet.

"I was instructed to guide you, I was not informed that I was also expected to prevent you from tripping on flat surfaces," Feiku said, smoothly.

'_One day, one day my god will give him what he deserves…'_

"This way," he ordered, the shuffling of the cloak he was clothed in telling you the direction of his movements.

Vaguely, you wondered why you could no longer see any trails of chakra. His footsteps halted and you hastily stopped, not wanting to walk straight into him. He muttered some words under his breath and there was the sound of stone grinding against stone. Steps informed you that he had continued on, and the pressure in your ears changed dramatically as you left the open area to enter a small corridor. The nervousness you felt before returned, only more amplified in this claustrophobic surrounding. Your hands were stretched out to the sides to follow the wall and your head was lowered to concentrate on the sounds around you. Feiku's footfalls stopped again and you realised you had arrived at a door. "Your god is waiting for you in there," were his short words before he too left you.

You inhaled noisily, steeling your nerve before you pressed on the light wooden door. It swung open effortlessly, and you cautiously made your way inside what seemed like a large, empty room. A loud voice resounded from the opposite end, breaking the ominous silence, "Welcome, Sato Tsukiko. Allow me to introduce myself, I am the God of Rain."


	5. Chapter 5

Your face froze in a portrait of shock. "My Lord?"

"Yes, I have summoned you here to express my gratitude about your successful mission to Nagawa Manor," your God explained, "I trust you found my old friend, Nagawa, well?"

Barely having recovered from the surprise of meeting the object of your devotion, you completely missed the meaningful tone in his voice. "Well, actually, um…Sire, when we left-"

"He was in good health, I trust," he interrupted in his blank voice, turning the question into a statement.

This time you did not miss the warning in his words. A bolt of panic shot up your spine as your confused mind struggled to form a sentence. "I-I, yes, Sire, very good health…"

"Excellent. Before you go, I will inform you that your talents will again be required to serve the great village of Rain. Expect it."

Recognising the words as a dismissal, you nodded and walked slowly backwards until your back brushed against the cold wall. Reaching your hand out to the left, you were relieved when your fingers clutched a warm, wooden doorframe. You nodded once more at your God before leaving the room, your mind still reeling from the conversation you had just shared. Not knowing exactly where you were going, you walked along the corridor, hoping it was the same one you had entered by. Sudden pain in your forehead alerted you to the presence of a stone door, and you stepped back a few feet to rub your face. _'This is the same as the one we entered by…but didn't Feiku use words to open it?' _

Reaching out tentatively, you found the stone door and proceeded to examine it to find some way of forcing it open. Your hands only found flat stone and you began to wonder whether you had left through a different door. You briefly considered retracing your steps back down the hallway to the room you had come from, but the memory of your God's layered words quickly opposed that idea. _'Well…it's either that or stay here and die of starvation…' _you thought, laughing at the irony that an hour before you would have performed any task if you believed it would allow you a brief glimpse of your God's face. Slumping against the wall, you considered your options. Your head snapped up as hollow thuds began to make their way up the corridor. "Oh no," you mouthed, horrified as you realised that your God had noted that you had exited through the wrong door and had come to find you. Like a deer cornered by a mountain lion, you flitted quickly around the doorway, searching desperately for some way to escape. "What are you doing?" asked a familiar detached voice.

Resisting the urge to raise your hands in surrender, you instead lowered your head and turned to face your companion. "Nevermind…I'm sure I don't really want to know the answer," Feiku murmured, "Stand aside so I can open the door."

Complying meekly, you were overcome with relief that he wasn't mad at you for taking the wrong tunnel. Under his breath, Feiku muttered some words, resulting in the dull grinding sound of stone scraping along stone. The atmosphere immediately felt lighter and you breathed in a deep lungful of fresh air, as the tunnel was flooded with the warmth of the sun. Feiku had already begun to stride away, and you quickly moved to follow just behind him. "How did you know to come and find me?" you asked, genuinely curious at how he had managed to locate you so swiftly.

"Find you?" you heard him say, puzzled.

"Oh…" you breathed, understanding that he had only happened upon you by chance, "I know this might be asking too much after all you've done for me…but could you direct me home?"

"We're nearly there," Feiku announced, a smirk emerging in his voice.

You started, sure that you would be hours away from home after walking for so long to reach your God. "Are you sure?" you asked, hesitantly, uncertain of whether he was using you for his amusement.

"I am."

Lulling back into silence, you resigned yourself to whatever fate Feiku lead you.

"Is that you, Tsuki?" your mother's voice called out.

You heard the sound of footsteps, starting at a walk and then breaking into a sprint coming directly at you. Hoping that it was truly your mother running to you, you stood stock-still and waited. Rough arms threw themselves around you in a fierce loving embrace and you felt yourself lifted off the ground and twirled around. All the while your mother spoke at an astonishing rate, and you were only able to catch a few words. She paused to draw in breath and you took advantage of the stop and quickly cut in with your own words, "Mother, I'm fine…but I won't be if you continue to smother me to death…let me breathe."

Spurting apologies, your mother released you and pulled your arm to direct you back to the house. "Wait, what about Feiku-san?" you asked, wondering whether it was good manners to invite him inside.

"Who, dear?" your mother queried, looking behind you to see no one but your neighbour wheeling a barrel full of rock down the street.

"My guide…the man with chakra around his eyes?" you asked, turning as if he would answer your summons immediately.

"I'm afraid he must have left, dear, there's no one there," your mother said, gently placing her fingers around your arm.

"Oh…"

"Let's go inside, I just finished making dinner."

"Yeah, ok…" you said, trying to appear enthusiastic.

Allowing her to lead you inside the house, you couldn't help but wonder when next you would see your companion. _'If I ever see him again that is…' _you thought to yourself.

Your mother seemed almost beside herself at your safe return. As you knelt down at the table, she drifted efficiently around the room, moving cutlery and placing a bowl of rice near your arm. "Thank heavens that's over, right Tsuki?" she called out, almost singing in happiness.

"Uh…actually God told me…" you trailed off, not wanting her to know the truth.

"Yes? What is it?" your mother inquired, the smile sounding in her voice.

Smiling back in her direction, you admitted, "Nevermind, mother. It's nothing. Wow…you wouldn't believe how much I miss being in a familiar place…it's good to be home."

It had been nearly three weeks since the first time you had visited your god, and also the last time that you had heard from Feiku. You began to feel as though you had been overlooked or forgotten. Disappointment had been the most prominent of your emotions and your desire to be useful prevented you from thinking about your strange conversation with your god and the implications behind his words. "Tsuki! A scroll has arrived for you! Would you like me to read it out to you?" your mother's voice called, floating under the closed door between you.

"Door's unlocked, mother," you answered, pausing mid-stroke on your lute.

You heard the telltale creak as the door to your bedroom opened, and the sounds of your mother's footsteps advancing towards the bed. It dipped to your right and you turned and waited for her to begin talking. "Sato Tsukiko, you are summoned to do the bidding of your god and must travel to the land of Grass in one days time. A trusted advisor will accompany you. The remaining details of your mission will be communicated to you upon arrival at the village," your mother read, both worry and anger tingeing her voice as she began to understand that you were once again going to be in danger.

"A day's time? That doesn't give me much time to prepare…does it tell me to bring my lute at all?" you asked, focusing more on your upcoming mission than the raging emotions of your upset mother.

"Sorry? Oh…no it doesn't say…please, Tsuki! Tell me you won't go!" your mother cried out, throwing her thin arm around your surprised form.

Your mouth opened in shock, why didn't your mother want to be useful your god? "Mother, what are you saying? Why would I refuse any request by god?" you burst out, confusion etched across your features.

"I…Pein…he…you only just returned from your last mission! Can't I have more time with you before you leave me again?" your mother spluttered, pulling you closer in her desperation to convince you to stay.

"This is a request from the most important man in existence, it is the highest honour I can possible receive, mother! Can't you see?" you argued, starting to grow slightly suspicious of your mother's loyalties.

"There is nothing that will change your mind, Tsuki?" your mother asked quietly, almost hopefully.

You shook your head, not trusting your voice to stay strong. "I see…well then I guess there is nothing else for me to do but wait and pray for your swift return," your mother ended, tightening her grasp before releasing you completely.

The bed straightened and you heard footsteps leave your room and retreat down the hallway. You sighed in relief at your mother's acceptance and pulled your lute back into place before strumming the strings lightly.

You heard a heavy exhalation and your mother stopped moving. It took you some time to figure out that the sigh had not come from your mother but in fact from the person standing in front of you. "Are we at the front gate, mother?" you inquired, softly.

"Yes, dear. Your companion is waiting. I should take my leave now," your mother answered, kissing you lightly on the cheek before turning on her heel and walking away.

Her footsteps halted and her voice addressed your new companion hesitantly, "You will protect her again, won't you, sir?"

You didn't hear a response and felt slightly irked that your mysterious companion had replied using either a shake or a nod. "You are sufficiently prepared?" came a calm, soothing voice and you were shocked to find the familiar voice of Feiku.

"Feiku-san? Is that you?" you ventured, hoping for confirmation.

"Who else were you expecting?" was the detached response and you grinned in bitter amusement, after all, who else had the ability to aggravate you using so little words?

"We must go now, you will use your regular methods?" Feiku asked, once again barely turning the statement into a question.

You nodded and his light footsteps swiveled and moved away, presumably towards the entrance to the village. You heard his deep voice drift over to you, "Let us depart then. We wouldn't want to keep your dear mother worrying unnecessarily."

Pondering his words, you rushed to catch up and begin your journey to another new, strange place.


End file.
